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This study was performed to investigate a strategy to interpret the osmotic dehydration (OD) process through a focused exploration of osmotic pressure dynamics. The investigation first delved into the relationship between dehydration rate and the osmotic pressure difference between food and an osmotic solution. Apple slices was used as a model food material, and the OD process was conducted via sucrose, glucose, and maltose. The positive correlation between the osmotic pressure difference between food and osmotic solution and the dehydration rate suggested that this pressure difference served as the primary driving force for mass transfer within the OD process; for example, in 60% wt sucrose solution, the osmotic pressure of the solution decreased from 15.60 MPa to 12.98 MPa in the first 30 min, while the osmotic pressure of fresh apple slices increased from 1.49 MPa to 4.05 MPa; and this correlation between dehydration rate and osmotic pressure difference in product tissue and osmotic solution followed a linear relationship. Then, the study went further to investigate augmenting osmotic pressure of osmotic solution (sucrose and fructose) by adding auxiliary solutes (sodium chloride and calcium lactate). The results showcased that augmenting osmotic pressure within a sugar-based solution could be realized through the introduction of additive solutes, and what is more important is that this augmentation displayed a synergistic effect, which was more pronounced in solutions of lower sugar concentration. For example, the osmotic pressure of 45%wt fructose solution was 8.88 MPa, which could be increased to 10.05 MPa by adding 0.075% wt NaCl, while adding 0.075% wt NaCl to 59.14% wt fructose solution could increase osmotic pressure from 20.57 MPa to 21.22 MPa. In essence, this study proposed a strategic approach to studying the OD process by spotlighting osmotic pressure as a pivotal factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Food Research & Development is the property of Food Research & Development Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ophiocordyceps sphecocephala is an entomopathogenic fungus that infects wasps. In this report, the in vitro growth characteristics of Vietnamese Ophiocordyceps sphecocephala collected in Bidoup, Nui Ba, Lam Dong, Vietnam were investigated. The bioactivities of the cultivated mycelium were also studied. The data showed that O. sphecocephala had higher yield of mycelium in mushroom complete medium (MCM), malt yeast medium (MY) and Sabouraud dextrose and yeast extract medium (SDY). Yeast extract and silkworm pupa powder were the preferred nitrogen sources. Besides, O. sphecocephala could utilize various forms of hexoses such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, and starch as the carbon sources. The optimal pH for the growth of O. sphecocephala was 6.0. The ethanol extract of O. sphecocephala exhibited several bioactivities: the capacity to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, the inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and the cytotoxicity against MCF-7 (the breast cancer cell line), HeLa (the cervical cancer cell line), Hepa G2 (the liver cancer cell line), Jurkat (the leukemia cell line) and NCI H460 (the lung cancer cell line) with the highest effect on MCF-7, and the lowest effect on NCI H460. Our finding thus demonstrated a potential of employing O. sphecocephala mycelium in pharmacology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulberry leaves contain α-glucosidase inhibitors, which have hypoglycemic effects and are considered functional foods. However, few reports have covered the effects of mulberry leaf components on normal gut microbiota and gut metabolites. Herein, gut microbiota analysis and NMR-based metabolomics were performed on the feces of mulberry leaf powder (MLP)-treated mice to determine the effects of long-term MLP consumption. Gut microbiota in the mouse were analyzed using 16S-rRNA gene sequencing, and no significant differences were revealed in the diversity and community structure of the gut microbiota in the C57BL/6 mice with or without MLP supplementation. Thirty-nine metabolites were identified via 1H-NMR analysis, and carbohydrates and amino acids were significantly (p < 0.01–0.05) altered upon MLP treatment. In the MLP-treated group, there was a marked increase and decrease in maltose and glucose concentrations, respectively, possibly due to the degradation inhibitory activity of oligosaccharides. After 5 weeks, all amino acid concentrations decreased. Furthermore, despite clear fluctuations in fecal saccharide concentrations, short-chain fatty acid production via intestinal bacterial metabolism was not strongly affected. This study provides the knowledge that MLP administration can alter the gut metabolites without affecting the normal gut microbiota, which is useful for considering MLP as a healthy food source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus has an essential role in cellular and extracellular metabolism; maintenance of normal phosphorus homeostasis is critical. Phosphorus homeostasis can be affected by diet and certain medications; some intravenous iron formulations can induce renal phosphate excretion and hypophosphatemia, likely through increasing serum concentrations of intact fibroblast growth factor 23. Case studies provide insights into two types of hypophosphatemia: acute symptomatic and chronic hypophosphatemia, while considering the role of pre-existing conditions and comorbidities, medications, and intravenous iron. This review examines phosphorus homeostasis and hypophosphatemia, with emphasis on effects of iron deficiency and iron replacement using intravenous iron formulations.

The hydrogen-producing bacteria SP4 and SP6 were isolated from the compost and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium beijerinckii , respectively. A comparative study on the biohydrogen-producing activity of the isolated strains was carried out using mono-, di- and tri-saccharides belonging to both hexoses (maltose, glucose, mannose, fructose, lactose, galactose, sucrose, raffinose, cellobiose) and pentoses (xylose). To assess the biotechnological significance, real wastewater rich in sugars (cheese whey, confectionery wastewater, sugar beet processing wastewater) was also used as a substrate. C. butyricum SP4 fermented sugars with a yield of 0.93–1.52 mol H 2 /mol hexose (pentose); the maximum yield was obtained from fructose, the minimum – from raffinose and cellobiose. The most preferred substrate for C. beijerinckii SP6 was sucrose with a yield of 1.76 mol H 2 /mol hexose, while cellobiose yielded only 0.64 mol H 2 /mol hexose. Overall, the efficiency of converting wastewater to H 2 by C. butyricum SP4 was also slightly lower (66–93 ml H 2 /g chemical oxygen demand (COD)) than that of C. beijerinckii SP6 (76–103 ml H 2 /g COD). Even though the main soluble metabolite products (SMPs) for both isolates were acetate and butyrate, C. butyricum SP4 also produced a significant amount of ethanol (up to 21.5% of SMPs) and formate (up to 32.5% of SMPs), and C. beijerinckii SP6 – lactate (up to 25% of SMPs). A distinctive feature of C. beijerinckii SP6 was a significantly lower (almost 2 times) yield of SMPs, while C. butyricum SP4 had a higher rate of H 2 production according to the results obtained from the kinetic study using the modified Gompertz equation and the first order equation. Analysis of Spearman's rank correlation coefficients revealed a statistically significant relationship between the kinetic parameters of H 2 production and the concentration of butyrate and the final pH of the medium for C. butyricum SP4, and with the concentration of ethanol for C. beijerinckii SP6. These findings provide valuable information on the metabolic capabilities of the most studied hydrogen-producing representatives of the Clostridium genus for their use in optimizing the technology for biohydrogen production by dark fermentation of various organic wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbohydrate-derived molecular gelators have found many practical applications as soft materials. To better understand the structure and molecular gelation relationship and further explore the applications of sugar-based gelators, we designed and synthesized eight trimeric branched sugar triazole derivatives and studied their self-assembling properties. These included glucose, glucosamine, galactose, and maltose derivatives. Interestingly, the gelation properties of these compounds exhibited correlations with the peripheral sugar structures. The maltose derivative did not form gels in the tested solvents, but all other compounds exhibited gelation properties in at least one of the solvents. Glucose derivatives showed superior performance, followed by glucosamine derivatives. They typically formed gels in toluene and alcohols; some formed gels in ethanol-water mixtures or DMSO water mixtures. The glycoclusters 9 and 10 demonstrated rate acceleration for the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reactions. These were further studied for their metallogels formation properties, and the copper metallogels from compound 9 were successfully utilized to catalyze click reactions. These metallogels were able to form a gel column, which was effective in converting the reactants into the triazole products in multiple cycles. Moreover, the same gel column was used to transform a second click reaction using different reactants. The synthesis and characterization of these compounds and their applications for catalytic reactions were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising predominance of type 2 diabetes, combined with the poor medical effects seen with commercially available anti-diabetic medications, has motivated the development of innovative treatment approaches for regulating postprandial glucose levels. Natural carbohydrate digestion enzyme inhibitors might be a viable option for blocking dietary carbohydrate absorption with fewer side effects than manufactured medicines. Alpha-amylase is a metalloenzyme that facilitates digestion by breaking down polysaccharides into smaller molecules such as maltose and maltotriose. It also contributes to elevated blood glucose levels and postprandial hyperglycemia. As a result, scientists are being urged to target α-amylase and create inhibitors that can slow down the release of glucose from carbohydrate chains and prolong its absorption, thereby resulting in lower postprandial plasma glucose levels. Natural α-amylase inhibitors derived from plants have gained popularity as safe and cost-effective alternatives. The bioactive components responsible for the inhibitory actions of various plant extracts have been identified through phytochemical research, paving the way for further development and application. The majority of the findings, however, are based on in vitro investigations. Only a few animal experiments and very few human investigations have confirmed these findings. Despite some promising results, additional investigation is needed to develop feasible anti-diabetic drugs based on plant-derived pancreatic α-amylase inhibitors. This review summarizes the most recent findings from research on plant-derived pancreatic α-amylase inhibitors, including plant extracts and plant-derived bioactive compounds. Furthermore, it offers insights into the structural aspects of the crucial therapeutic target, α-amylases, in addition to their interactions with inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteins from the signal transduction ATPases with numerous domains (STAND) family are known to play an important role in innate immunity. However, it remains less well understood how they function in transcriptional regulation. MalT is a bacterial STAND that controls the Escherichia coli maltose system. Inactive MalT is sequestered by different inhibitory proteins such as MalY. Here, we show that MalY interacts with one oligomerization interface of MalT to form a 2:2 complex. MalY represses MalT activity by blocking its oligomerization and strengthening ADP-mediated MalT autoinhibition. A loop region N-terminal to the nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) of MalT has a dual role in mediating MalT autoinhibition and activation. Structural comparison shows that ligand-binding induced oligomerization is required for stabilizing the C-terminal domains and conferring DNA-binding activity. Together, our study reveals the mechanism whereby a prokaryotic STAND is inhibited by a repressor protein and offers insights into signaling by STAND transcription activators. MalY represses the E. coli maltose system by direct interaction with MalT that blocks its oligomerization. Maltotriose-binding leads to conformational remodelling of MalT and stabilizes the C-terminal domains required for downstream signalling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pullulan is a biodegradable biopolymer made up of maltotriose subunits that are water-soluble. It has a direct glucan structure comprising α-1,4 and α-1,6 linkages in a 2:1 ratio, which gives it exceptional physical and structural properties, making it a suitable choice for application in biomedical applications. Despite its potential benefits, the price of production is expansive, and productivity is low, which are significant drawbacks. Therefore, the objective of this work is to identify the ideal carbon source for Aureobasidium melanogenum DSM 2404 to produce high pullulans. Methods: In shake flask studies, the effects of different carbon sources, such as maltose, glucose, sucrose, lactose, and xylose, on cell growth and pullulan generation by Aureobasidium melanogenum DSM 2404 were examined. Results: The highest pullulan production was obtained from sucrose (13.38 g L-1) compared to other types of carbon sources used in the fermentation medium. The maximal pullulan production rate of 0.112 [g-1 L-1 h-1] was obtained in sucrose culture. This suggests that sucrose provides favorable conditions for the microorganisms to produce pullulan at a faster rate compared to other sugars. Conclusion: Sucrose was found to be the most efficient carbon source for the synthesis of pullulan using Aureobasidium melanogenum DSM 2404 generating 13.38 g L-1 of pullulan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents a comparative analysis of the structures of dried films of bacterial cellulose (BC) produced by bacteria of the Gluconacetobacter hansenii GH-1/2008 strain under static conditions of cultivation on nutrient media with different carbon sources, such as glucose, sucrose, maltose, fructose, and lactose. It was found that the supramolecular structure of the films is a three-dimensional network composed of orientationally ordered microfibrils with an average diameter from 30 to 60 nm, which consist of crystalline and amorphous regions. An analysis of the powder X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrated that the crystalline regions of microfibrils are formed by cellulose I. Depending on the composition of the nutrient medium, the degree of crystallinity of the films varies in the range from ~20 to 90%. It was found that, regardless of the carbon source, the top and bottom surfaces of BC films have different microstructures defined by static conditions of cultivation. Thus, the top surface of gel films contains pores with a diameter of up to 500 nm, whereas a wider pore size distribution (up to 600 nm) is observed on the bottom surface. The difference between the average pore sizes on the top and bottom surfaces varies from 95 to 180 nm and from 100 to 200 nm, respectively. The measurements of the mechanical properties of the films showed that the films produced by the cultivation on media containing fructose and sucrose have the maximum strength, whereas the films produced using lactose and maltose have the minimum strength. The data on the BC productivity of the GH-1/2008 strain were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metarhizium rileyi is a biological agent used in the control of various pests, particularly noctuid insects. However, this fungal species is slow-growing, resulting in a prolonged culture period and limiting its commercial production. In this study, 0.3% (w/w) oleic acid significantly enhanced the rates of hyphal growth, conidial production, and conidial germination by 23%, 9%, and 10%, respectively. The expression of genes related to microbial growth and development (MrPbs2, MrMsn2, MrSwi6, MrNsdD, Mrap1 and MrSte12) was significantly increased in the presence of oleic acid. The M. rileyi conidial production and its effects on the mortality of Spodoptera frugiperda were investigated using rice-vegetable oil solid medium (RVOSM) and its substitute Sabouraud maltose agar plus yeast extract (SMAY) plates containing 0.03% oleic acid. The fungi retained their toxicity to S. frugiperda. Therefore, oleic acid can improve the growth potential of fungi, and RVOSM can be used as a substrate for conidia production for the application of M. rileyi as a biocontrol agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

α -amylase is an endonuclease that acts on the α -1, 4-glucoside bond of starch molecules to reduce starch viscosity. As a commonly used additive in animal feed, α -amylase can make up for the deficiency of animal amylase, accelerate the starch saccharification process in feed, improve the starch saccharification efficiency and maltose yield, and enhance the feed feeding value. In terms of biological activity and availability, microbial source of α-amylase has the most potential application, while bacterial α-amylase has a more prominent advantage. Further study of bacterial α-amylase can improve the utilization of starch and improve animal growth. In the paper, the source of α -amylase, the structure and catalytic mechanism of bacterial α-amylase, and the improvement of bacterial α-amylase activity were reviewed, so as to provide reference for further development and application of bacterial α-amylase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium humate is a widely used biostimulant known for its ability to enhance growth and improve tolerance to abiotic stress. However, the molecular mechanisms explaining its effects remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of action of potassium humate using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We demonstrated that a formulation of potassium humate effectively increased the fresh weight accumulation of Arabidopsis plants under normal conditions, salt stress (sodium or lithium chloride), and particularly under osmotic stress (mannitol). Interestingly, plants treated with potassium humate exhibited a reduced antioxidant response and lower proline accumulation, while maintaining photosynthetic activity under stress conditions. The observed sodium and osmotic tolerance induced by humate was not accompanied by increased potassium accumulation. Additionally, metabolomic analysis revealed that potassium humate increased maltose levels under control conditions but decreased levels of fructose. However, under stress, both maltose and glucose levels decreased, suggesting changes in starch utilization and an increase in glycolysis. Starch concentration measurements in leaves showed that plants treated with potassium humate accumulated less starch under control conditions, while under stress, they accumulated starch to levels similar to or higher than control plants. Taken together, our findings suggest that the molecular mechanism underlying the abiotic stress tolerance conferred by potassium humate involves its ability to alter starch content under normal growth conditions and under salt or osmotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one-pot hydrogenolysis/hydrogenation reaction of maltose to two moles of sorbitol has been carried out over different supported Cu catalysts in water at 180 °C and 40 bar of H2. Only the catalysts supported on silicas were found to be effective in this reaction, giving up to 86% yield in the desired product while the bare supports and the catalysts supported on alumina or silica alumina gave messy reactions. The peculiar activity of the two Cu/Silica systems tested was ascribed to high metal dispersion and suitable polarity of the catalyst surface. In exposing metallic Cu particles on the surface, the reduced catalyst showed unusual stability in the presence of water as a solvent and could be reused several times without any treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Itaconic acid (IA), a C5-dicarboxylic acid, is a potential bio-based building block for the polymer industry. There are three pathways for IA production from natural IA producers; however, most of the engineered strains were used for IA production by heterologous expression of cis -aconitate decarboxylase gene (cadA) from Aspergillus terreus. In this study, IA was produced by an engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 expressing two different types of genes from two distinct pathways. The first involves the mammalian immunoresponsive gene1 (Irg1) derived from Mus musculus. The second (termed here the trans -pathway) involves two genes from the natural IA producer Ustilago maydis which are aconitate-delta-isomerase (Adi1) and trans -aconitate decarboxylase (Tad1) genes. The constructed strains developing the two distinct IA production pathways: C. glutamicum ATCC 13032 pCH- Irg1 opt and C. glutamicum ATCC 13032 pCH- Tad1 opt adi1 opt were used for production of IA from different carbon sources. The results reflect the possibility for IA production from C. glutamicum expressing the trans -pathway (Adi1 / Tad1 genes) and cis -pathway (Irg1 gene) other than the well-known cis -pathway that depends mainly on cadA gene from A. terreus. The developed strain expressing trans -pathway from U. maydis ; however, proved to be better at IA production with high titers of 12.25, 11.34, and 11.02 g/L, and a molar yield of 0.22, 0.42, and 0.43 mol/mol from glucose, maltose, and sucrose, respectively, via fed-batch fermentation. The present study suggests that trans -pathway is better than cis -pathway for IA production in engineered C. glutamicum. [Display omitted] • Comparison between different metabolic pathways for IA production by engineered C. glutamicum. • Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC13032 with Adi1 / Tad1 genes exhibited highest itaconic acid production titer. • IA titer was increased by fed-batch fermentation by various carbon sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xylem embolism is one of the possible outcomes of decreasing xylem pressure when plants face drought. Recent studies have proposed a role for non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) in osmotic pressure generation, required for refilling embolized conduits. Potted cuttings of grapevine Grenache and Barbera, selected for their adaptation to different climatic conditions, were subjected to a drought stress followed by re-irrigation. Stem embolism rate and its recovery were monitored in vivo by X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). The same plants were further analyzed for xylem conduit dimension and NSC content. Both cultivars significantly decreased Ψpd in response to drought and recovered from xylem embolism after re-irrigation. However, although the mean vessel diameter was similar between the cultivars, Barbera was more prone to embolism. Surprisingly, vessel diameter was apparently reduced during recovery in this cultivar. Hydraulic recovery was linked to sugar content in both cultivars, showing a positive relationship between soluble NSCs and the degree of xylem embolism. However, when starch and sucrose concentrations were considered separately, the relationships showed cultivar-specific and contrasting trends. We showed that the two cultivars adopted different NSC-use strategies in response to drought, suggesting two possible scenarios driving conduit refilling. In Grenache, sucrose accumulation seems to be directly linked to embolism formation and possibly sustains refilling. In Barbera, maltose/maltodextrins could be involved in a conduit recovery strategy via the formation of cell-wall hydrogels, likely responsible for the reduction of conduit lumen detected by micro-CT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of fruit quality traits is a key factor in increasing consumer acceptance of kiwifruit. Here, an experiment was performed to evaluate the relationship between dry matter (DM) and soluble solids concentration (SSC), evaluated by both destructive (D) and non-destructive (ND) approaches, with acidity content and sensory evaluation, particularly taste, in fully ripened 'Hayward' kiwifruits from 20 orchards. Nutrient content and metabolomic analysis were also performed in ripened kiwifruit tissues (pericarp, placenta, and seeds) from four selected orchards of kiwifruits of high taste scores (HTS) and four orchards of low taste scores (LTS). The results suggest that ND-DM measurement positively correlated with D-DM and may serve as an indicator of kiwifruit taste. Moreover, the taste of kiwifruit was affected by both SSC and acidity. Based on the nutrient content of the pericarp and the primary metabolites of the pericarp and placenta, a clear separation was observed between kiwifruits with HTS and those with LTS, while no differences were found in seed samples. Metabolites such as fructose, maltose, mannobiose, tagatose, and citrate were accumulated in kiwifruits with a strong taste in the pericarp, whereas others, such as serine in the pericarp and placenta, have a negative impact on taste. The current study contributes to a greater understanding of the influence of dry matter, ripening characteristics, primary metabolites, and nutrient content on the taste of kiwifruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Edulis Fungi is the property of Acta Edulis Fungi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents the results of research on the effect of essential oils and ethanol extracts on the growth of mold fungi on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood. The analysis of fungal growth on the microbial medium showed that the degree of inhibition of microorganism growth depends on the amount of the extract added to the medium. At the same time, it was found that the highest dose of the extract, amounting to 5.0 cm3, almost completely inhibited the growth of fungi. In addition, it was found that mint ethanol extracts, the application of which in the wood is at least 40 g/m2, have a fungistatic effect at the initial stage of fungal development. Solutions of essential oils turned out to be more active against fungi, although also in this case the desired biocidal effect was not achieved. Essential oils significantly slowed down the growth of the fungus Ch. globosum, with the strongest fungistatic effect found for 'Morocco' spearmint oil (Mentha spicata L.). Despite the fact that in tests on agar-maltose medium, the strongest biocidal activity against Ch. globosum was found for spearmint 'Crispa' (Mentha spicata L.) oil, the effect of growth inhibition was not so clearly visible in studies on wood. Essential oils applied to the surface of the wood slowed down the growth of T. viride fungus, but not to the extent that it was found in the case of Ch. globosum. The qualitative and quantitative composition of substances belonging to the group of terpenes and their derivatives was characterized using the GCMS technique. It was shown that the ethanol extracts of mints were dominated by substances belonging to the oxygen-containing monoterpenoid and monoterpene groups. In terms of quality, the composition of essential oils turned out to be richer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humankind is striving to adopt a nutrient-rich healthy diet leading to holistic development, and the fundamental limitation is the need for more awareness of alternative resources. For a decade, resistant starch (RS) has been gaining attention for its health-boosting impacts. Also, only a few methods are reported for quantifying resistant starch in food items; that, too, is a decade old. The present research aims at two objectives. First, to develop an accurate method for precise measurement of green banana RS in lower quantities, as the current AOAC method can only detect RS if its concentrations are higher than 2% in the sample. The second is to study its practical implication by measuring the RS from unripe banana flour and banana bread. To this end, we have developed a quick Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy-based method for quantifying RS using just one milligram of a sample, giving results in ten minutes. The quantification range for the presented method is 1–7 mg g−1 of sample. We also observed remarkable consistent changes in absorption intensity at 1641 cm−1 with increasing RS concentrations in the statistically supervised study. The absorbance at wavenumber 1641 cm−1 appeared in all the amylase-treated starch samples and was remarkably absent in Glucose and Maltose; This region was therefore considered RS's fingerprint. Moreover, the absorbance quotient of 1641/2930 was significant for quantifying crystallinity in RS. Also, we investigated the assay procedure's compatibility to quantify RS in food during the banana breadmaking process. The results are further validated with AOAC 2002.02. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathogen Verticillium dahliae causes Verticillium wilt in a number of crops, including cotton Verticillium wilt. Chaetoviridin A, a secondary metabolite of Chaetomium globosum, significantly inhibits the growth of V. dahliae. Spore germination is a major part of the disease cycle. However, the molecular mechanism of chaetoviridin A inhibiting spore germination of V. dahliae is unknown. In this work, we found that chaetoviridin A significantly inhibited spore germination of V. dahliae. Transcriptome analysis showed that DEGs were enriched in linolenic acid metabolism, alpha-Linolenic acid metabolism, Arachidonic acid metabolism and Purine metabolism pathways at 1 h, which were related to cell membrane. At 3 h, DEGs were enriched in the pathways of galactose metabolism, diterpenoid biosynthesis, cysteine and methionine metabolism, and starch and sucrose metabolism, which were mainly related to amino acid metabolism and sugar metabolism. Several genes related to glucose metabolism were identified, mainly including Glucagon endo-1,3-alpha-glucosidase agn1, glucoamylase, maltose O-acetyltransferase, and beta-galactosidase. Stress resistance gene PAL, detoxification gene P450 2C31 and ABA receptor were also down- regulated. These genes may be related to spore germination. These results provide a theoretical basis for chaetoviridin A to control fungal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Rimicaris is the dominant organism living in hydrothermal vents. However, little research has been done on the functions of their intestinal flora. Here, we investigated the potential functions of Deferribacterota, which is dominant in the intestine of Rimicaris kairei from the Central Indian Ridge. In total, six metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of Deferribacterota were obtained using the metagenomic approach. The six Deferribacterota MAGs (Def-MAGs) were clustered into a new branch in the phylogenetic tree. The six Def-MAGs were further classified into three species, including one new order and two new genera, based on the results of phylogenetic analysis, relative evolutionary divergence (RED), average nucleotide identity (ANI), average amino acid identity (AAI) and DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH) values. The results of the energy metabolism study showed that these bacteria can use a variety of carbon sources, such as glycogen, sucrose, salicin, arbutin, glucose, cellobiose, and maltose. These bacteria have a type II secretion system and effector proteins that can transport some intracellular toxins to the extracellular compartment and a type V CRISPR–Cas system that can defend against various invasions. In addition, cofactors such as biotin, riboflavin, flavin mononucleotide (FMN), and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) synthesized by R. kairei gut Deferribacterota may also assist their host in surviving under extreme conditions. Taken together, the potential function of Deferribacterota in the hydrothermal R. kairei gut suggests its long-term coevolution with the host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of mouthfeel is an important but challenging area for objective study. The use of human tasting panels presents issues of comparability between studies together with ethical limitations on consumption. Here, tribo-rheology was used in the analysis of lubrication of seven beer styles in their standard and low/no alcohol formats. Tribo-rheology was used to generate Stribeck curves showing the frictional characteristics and differences between the beers. Some possible causes for the differences in lubrication were evaluated including varying concentrations of ethanol, maltose, maltodextrin and sodium chloride. This work demonstrates statistically significant differences in lubrication between low/no alcohol beers and standard strength beers from the same producer. To conclude, the results and differences in lubrication are discussed in terms of molecular detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honey intake is advantageous to human health due to its antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, all of which are attributed to the rich bioactive compound contents. Moreover, hepatoprotective, wound healing, and gastrointestinal protective properties have been documented. Honey's nutritional value is significantly affected by its chemical composition, which varies depending on botanical and geographical origin. In particular, after Manuka honey, Sidr honey from the Ziziphus species is the most popular. The chemical compositions, physicochemical properties, bioactive compounds, and sensory characteristics of two Sidr honey samples from Egypt and Saudi Arabia were investigated in the current study. Moisture content, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, free acidity (FA), total acidity, lactone hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content, and diastase (α-amylase) activity were measured. By using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR), and solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography (GC-MS) analyses, the sugar profile, non-volatile, and volatile compounds were also identified. The physicochemical analysis revealed the following results for Sidr honey from Saudi Arabia and Egypt, respectively: a moisture content of 18.03 ± 0.05% and 19.03 ± 0.06%, EC values of 1.18 ± 0.05 and 1.16 ± 0.01 mS/cm, pH values of 4.87 ± 0.08 and 5.10 ± 0.01, FA of 37.50 ± 0.05 and 36.50 ± 0.05 meq/kg, total acidity of 41.06 ± 0.05 and 37.50 ± 0.05 meq/kg, lactone of 3.49 ± 0.005 and 1 ± 0.0 meq/kg, HMF of 20.92 ± 0.02 and 11.33 ± 0.01 mg/kg, and diastase of 59.97 ± 0.05 and 8.64 ± 0.06g/100 g. Honey from Saudi Arabia and Egypt displayed 22.51 ± 0.05 and 26.62 ± 0.16 % glucose, 40.33 ± 0.06 and 35.28 ± 0.01% fructose, 8.94 ± 0.17, and 8.87 ± 0.01% sucrose, and 8.22 ± 0.006 and 8.13 ± 0.01% maltose, respectively. According to the International Honey Commission (IHC) and GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) regulations, the levels of glucose, fructose, sucrose, and maltose were near the standard levels. Flavonoids, sugars, vitamins, and nitrogen contents were additionally measured using LC-MS/MS, whereas GC-MS was employed to identify aldehydes, ketones, phenols, acids, esters, anthraquinone, hydrocarbons, and nitrogenous compounds. The results of a study on the effect of honey's geographic origin on its broad quality are summarized. As a result, knowing its optimal chemical and physical characteristics served as the criterion and indicator of the honey's quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a series of adsorbent magnetic cobalt carbohydrate-based (carbon source: glucose, maltose, and starch) carbon adsorbents (Co-Cs) can be rapidly prepared for the removal of tetracycline (TC) from water using a self-propagating combustion method. The results of batch adsorption experiments show that the composites exhibit excellent adsorption performance (maximum adsorption capacity of 430.54 mg/g) towards TC in a wide pH range of 2–10. As the concentration of humic acid (2–10 mg/L) increased, its adsorption capacity enhanced from 176.51 to 281.63 mg/g by forming bridge bonds. Pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich models are more suitable for describing adsorption data. In addition, the hydrogen bond, complexation, and conjugation effect were the major adsorption mechanisms. The adsorption experiments of high concentration TC water samples were tested with hospital wastewater (adsorption capacity up to 236.31 mg/g), which provided some guidance for further practical application. The proposed synthetic strategy provides an efficient, excellent versatility and energy saving method for the preparation of high-performance magnetic adsorbents. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Changes in mashing modes can increase extraction of biological compounds from malt. Biochemical composition of the malt wort with prolonged action of proteolytic enzymes during the mashing process was determined. Materials and methods. The raw material composition made from three types of malt: base malt, melanoidin malt and roasted malt. Analysis of the amino acid, carbohydrate and lipid profile in modified proteolytic wort was done by chromatographic methods. Results and discussion. Wort analysis identified 19 amino acids; ten of them were essential amino acids. Total content of amino acids in control wort was 1349 mg/l. Total amino acid content in wort modified by mashing mode 1 increased by 55% to 2096 mg/l. Total content of amino acid in wort modified by mashing mode 2 increased by 90% to 2572 mg/l. Proline content in modified wort was the highest: 437 mg/l in wort modified by mashing mode 1; 568 mg/l in wort modified by mashing mode 2. The high content of leucine, arginine, and phenylalanine was observed in modified wort. The percentage increase in the content of individual amino acids in the modified wort varied significantly. Thus, the content of valine and phenylalanine increased by 101-102%, meanwhile the amount of glycine increased only by 18%. Chromatographic analysis showed that prolonged proteolysis has no effect on the carbohydrate and lipid composition of the wort. Total fatty acid content was in the range from 5.6 to 11.4 mg/l. Difference in total content of fatty acids between samples of modified proteolytic wort was more than 30%. Analysis of wort showed the presence of 11 fatty acids. Palmitic and linoleic acids were predominant in fatty acid profile in modified proteolytic wort: the content of palmitic acid was 38-48%, and the content of linoleic acid (omega-6) was 30-37% from total fatty acid amounts. Carbohydrate profile of the modified proteolytic wort presented by maltose, 53.1%; dextrins, 23.4%; maltotriose, 15.2%, and glucose, 8.3%. Carbohydrate profile of modified proteolytic wort had no difference with traditional malt wort. Conclusions. Modified proteolytic wort after prolonged proteolysis during mashing is a good source of amino acids. Long proteolytic rest significantly increases the content of amino acids in malt wort, which can be further used in the technology of dietary supplement or functional drinks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acetaminophen (APAP) is the most common cause liver injury following alcohol in US patients. Predicting liver injury and subsequent hepatic regeneration in patients taking therapeutic doses of APAP may be possible using new 'omic methods such as metabolomics and genomics. Multi'omic techniques increase our ability to find new mechanisms of injury and regeneration. Methods: We used metabolomic and genomic data from a randomized controlled trial of patients administered 4 g of APAP per day for 14 days or longer with blood samples obtained at 0 (baseline), 4, 7, 10, 13 and 16 days. We used the highest ALT as the clinical outcome to be predicted in our integrated analysis. We used penalized regression to model the relationship between genetic variants and day 0 metabolite level, and then performed a metabolite-wide colocalization scan to associate the genetically regulated component of metabolite expression with ALT elevation. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) analyses were conducted for ALT elevation and metabolite level using linear regression, with age, sex, and the first five principal components included as covariates. Colocalization was tested via a weighted sum test. Results: Out of the 164 metabolites modeled, 120 met the criteria for predictive accuracy and were retained for genetic analyses. After genomic examination, eight metabolites were found to be under genetic control and predictive of ALT elevation due to therapeutic acetaminophen. The metabolites were: 3-oxalomalate, allantoate, diphosphate, L-carnitine, L-proline, maltose, and ornithine. These genes are important in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), urea breakdown pathway, glutathione production, mitochondrial energy production, and maltose metabolism. Conclusions: This multi'omic approach can be used to integrate metabolomic and genomic data allowing identification of genes that control downstream metabolites. These findings confirm prior work that have identified mitochondrial energy production as critical to APAP induced liver injury and have confirmed our prior work that demonstrate the importance of the urea cycle in therapeutic APAP liver injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fabrication of TmVO 4 nanocomposites by sonochemical approach. • Different solvents and content of TmVO 4 affect the purity, morphology, and size of products. • Investigation effect of tetra ethylene pentaamine as both capping and alkaline agent on size. • Utilization of TmVO 4 as a nanophotocatalyst for water treatment. • High ability of TmVO 4 for degradation of methyl violet dye (83%) in the visible area. The development of photocatalysts with adequate functions, particularly in the visible range, is one of the most significant issues facing scientists since they are essential compounds for the protection of the environment. A primary objective of this work was to simplify the preparation of thulium vanadate (TmVO 4) nanostructures in order to improve their photocatalytic efficiency. By using a facile auto-combustion route, this study presents a new method for fabricating TmVO 4 nanostructures. In order to achieve the desired size and homogeneity of the products, multiple factors were considered. As part of these parameters, several saccharides, such as glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose, and cellulose are analyzed for the first time, as well as the calcination temperature and the molar ratio. Various dye types and dye concentrations were studied to enhance catalyst performance. According to the catalyst activity, TmVO 4 was able to degrade 83.5% of the methyl violet (MV) after 90 min. TmVO 4 was found to be stable in the recycle test, with an efficiency reduction of 14.6% after five cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of developing a method for quantitative determination of the carbohydrate stabilizers sorbitol, mannitol, glucose, trehalose, sucrose, lactose, and maltose in biological drugs are presented. Ion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection and sodium hydroxide solutions as mobile phases were used for the analysis. The developed method was specific and linear in the range from 1 to 50 mg/mL. The determination coefficient of the calibration curve for sorbitol and sucrose was 0.9994; for mannitol, 0.9997; for trehalose, 0.9992; for glucose, 0.9998; and for lactose and maltose, 0.9999. The limit of quantitation for sorbitol, mannitol, trehalose, lactose, and sucrose was 0.05 mg/mL; for glucose, 0.1 mg/mL; and for maltose, 1.0 mg/mL. The relative standard deviation of the concentration of sorbitol was 1.9%; mannitol, 1.5%; trehalose, 0.6%; glucose, 0.3%; lactose, 1.8%; sucrose, 1.4%; and maltose, 1.7%. The percentage of extraction in determining the accuracy for all tested drugs was (100 ± 5)%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recombinant type III collagen plays an important role in cosmetics, wound healing, and tissue engineering. Thus, increasing its production is necessary. After an initial increase in output by modifying the signal peptide, we showed that adding 1% maltose directly to the medium increased the yield and reduced the degradation of recombinant type III collagen. We initially verified that Pichia pastoris GS115 can metabolize and utilize maltose. Interestingly, maltose metabolism–associated proteins in Pichia pastoris GS115 have not yet been identified. RNA sequencing and transmission electron microscopy were performed to clarify the specific mechanism of maltose influence. The results showed that maltose significantly improved the metabolism of methanol, thiamine, riboflavin, arginine, and proline. After adding maltose, the cell microstructures tended more toward the normal. Adding maltose also contributed to yeast homeostasis and methanol tolerance. Finally, adding maltose resulted in the downregulation of aspartic protease YPS1 and a decrease in yeast mortality, thereby slowing down recombinant type III collagen degradation. Key points: • Co-feeding of maltose improves recombinant type III collagen production. • Maltose incorporation enhances methanol metabolism and antioxidant capacity. • Maltose addition contributes to Pichia pastoris GS115 homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, thirty-seven alkaline protease-producing bacteria were recovered from different regions of Saudi Arabia. The proteolytic strain with the highest productivity was identified as Bacillus sp. Mar64. Maximum productivity of Mar64P alkaline protease was reached at 60 h, pH 9.0, and 45 °C using 1% tyrosine and 0.5% maltose as nitrogen and carbon supplies, respectively. Specific activity was intensified to 8.5-fold with a recovery of 12.4% and SDS—PAGE revealed one band at 28 kDa after enzyme purification. Mar64P was maximally active at 55 °C and pH 11.0 with thermal stability up to 70 °C and pH stability at 7.0–12.0 for 1 h. It was inhibited by EDTA and unaffected by PMSF, therefore tentatively classified as metalloprotease-type. Storage efficacy was effective for up to eight weeks and it was durable in presence of organic solvents (20%, v/v) such as acetonitrile, acetone, and isopropanol upto to 15 days. The enzyme was compatible with dry detergents at both low and high temperature, in addition, was successful in removing various stains such as blood, egg yolk, chocolate, tea, coffee, and sweat. Furthermore, it was successful in removing skin hairs and hydrolyzing gelatin of waste X-ray films. Collectively, due to these unique properties, Mar64P could be considered an environmentally friendly candidate in both detergent and leather industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kinetics and mechanisms of selective maltose hydrogenation over Raney Ni remain poorly understood, which hinders the industrial advancement of maltitol production for biorefining. Herein, the impact of hydrogenation conditions and in‐depth mechanistic characterizations were carefully investigated in this research. Optimization of reaction conditions illustrated that maltitol formation was favored by moderate reaction temperatures (≤130°C), high hydrogen pressures (>7 MPa), and near‐neutral sodium phosphate buffer (pH = 6.47). Kinetic studies demonstrated the Ea of 45.5 kJ/mol for the hydrogenation of maltose. The in situ IR revealed that the hydrogenation of maltose over Raney Ni occurs in the order of ring opening and adsorption via CO of the aldose form followed by hydrogenation. The UV–vis spectra demonstrated the near‐neutral setting (pH = 6.47) promoted the production of open‐chain aldose conformation and selective CO hydrogenation to the corresponding alcohols. The present study on concentrated‐maltose hydrogenation paves the way for the industrial development of maltitol manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various factors could essentially impact thrombolytic enzyme production in submerged fermentation processes. This investigation endeavored to optimize the media conditions and parameters so as to enhance thrombolytic enzyme production from Cladosporium flabelliforme MVIT CH3. Method: The concentration of substrate, carbon, nitrogen sources, temperature, incubation time, pH, aeration, inoculum size, and salt concentrations for thrombolytic enzyme production was determined. Result: Maximum substrate concentration for soya bean oil cake, peanut oil cake, and coconut cake were 7%, 6%, 4%, respectively. Whereas, 5% maltose as a carbon source was the suitable concentration for the both enzyme (1300 U/mL) and biomass (1.8 g/mL) production Gelatine was the appropriate nitrogen substrate and demonstrated maximum enzyme activity (1149.5 U/mL), incubation temperature was 28°C, incubation day was 96 h, pH 7, agitation speed 150 rpm and salt concentration sodium chloride was 0.1% shown enzyme activity 1673 U/mL. Conclusion: A mix of all streamlined parameters in submerged cultivation of C. flabelliforme MVIT-CH3 by SOC was increased its enzyme activity from 1673 U/mL to 2178 U/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia are common in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease and often require supplementation with iron. There is a paucity of literature regarding optimal iron formulation. The aim of this study is to compare outcomes in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease receiving either iron sucrose or ferric carboxymaltose during inpatient hospitalizations. Methods: This was a single‐center retrospective study of pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease admitted for newly diagnosed disease or flare who received either iron sucrose or ferric carboxymaltose. Linear regression was used to assess differences in iron repletion. Longitudinal linear mixed‐effects models and generalized estimating equations compared hematologic and iron outcomes 6 months post–iron repletion. Results: Thirty patients received ferric carboxymaltose. Sixty‐nine patients received iron sucrose. Baseline hemoglobin and iron deficits were similar in both groups. A larger percentage of iron deficit was repleted in the ferric carboxymaltose group (81.4%) compared with iron sucrose (25.9%) (P < 0.001) with fewer infusions. Cumulative doses of ferric carboxymaltose administered (18.7 mg/kg) were higher than iron sucrose (6.1 mg/kg) (P < 0.001). Hemoglobin increased more quickly with ferric carboxymaltose compared with iron sucrose (P = 0.04 and P = 0.02, respectively). Total iron binding capacity and red cell distribution width levels decreased more over time with ferric carboxymaltose vs iron sucrose (P < 0.01 and P = 0.01, respectively). No adverse effects were seen. Conclusions: Hematologic and iron parameters responded more quickly with fewer infusions in patients who received ferric carboxymaltose vs iron sucrose. Patients who received ferric carboxymaltose achieved a higher percentage of iron deficit repleted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chinese Nong-favor daqu, the presentative liquor starter of Baijiu, has been enriched with huge amounts of enzymes in degrading various biological macromolecules by openly man-made process for thousand years. According to previous metatranscriptomics analysis, plenty of α-glucosidases were identified to be active in NF daqu and played the key role in degrading starch under solid-state fermentation. However, none of α-glucosidases was characterized from NF daqu, and their actual functions in NF daqu were still unknown. Results: An α-glucosidase (NFAg31A, GH31-1 subfamily), the second highest expressed α-glucosidases in starch degradation of NF daqu, was directly obtained by heterologous expression in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). NFAg31A exhibited the highest sequence identities of 65.8% with α-glucosidase II from Chaetomium thermophilum, indicating its origin of fungal species, and it showed some similar features with homologous α-glucosidase IIs, i.e., optimal activity at pH ~ 7.0 and litter higher temperature of 45 ℃, well stability at 41.3 ℃ and a broad pH range of pH 6.0 to pH 10.0, and preference on hydrolyzing Glc-α1,3-Glc. Besides this preference, NFAg31A showed comparable activities on Glc-α1,2-Glc and Glc-α1,4-Glc, and low activity on Glc-α1,6-Glc, indicating its broad specificities on α-glycosidic substrates. Additionally, its activity was not stimulated by any of those detected metal ions and chemicals, and could be largely inhibited by glucose under solid-state fermentation. Most importantly, it exhibited competent and synergistic effects with two characterized α-amylases of NF daqu on hydrolyzing starch, i.e., all of them could efficiently degrade starch and malto-saccharides, two α-amylases showed advantage in degrading starch and long-chain malto-saccharides, and NFAg31A played the competent role with α-amylases in degrading short-chain malto-saccharides and the irreplaceable contribution in hydrolyzing maltose into glucose, thus alleviating the product inhibitions of α-amylases. Conclusions: This study provides not only a suitable α-glucosidase in strengthening the quality of daqu, but also an efficient way to reveal roles of the complicated enzyme system in traditional solid-state fermentation. This study would further stimulate more enzyme mining from NF daqu, and promote their actual applications in solid-state fermentation of NF liquor brewing, as well as in other solid-state fermentation of starchy industry in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to examine the potency of a non-typical land for cultivation of Cilembu sweet potato (Rancing cultivars of I. batatas) to generate a similar sweet taste with that when planted in its typical land, evaluation of sweetness, sugar and starch concentration of the cultivated sweet potato was carried out at Cimaung and Cilembu villages. Results indicated that concentration of starch in the fresh tuber that harvested at Cilembu and Cimaung were 37% and 35%, and decreased to 19.6% and 31.5%, within 5 weeks after storage, respectively. High Pressure Liquid Chromatography analysis showed that fresh sweet potato consisted of soluble sugar of fructose, glucose and sucrose, while baked sweet potato showed the presence of maltose, fructose, glucose and sucrose. The total soluble sugar in the freshly harvested sweet potato from Cilembu was higher than that of Cimaung, 4.0% compared to 2.6% and reach maximum to 9.4% and 6.0%, at 4 weeks after storage. Principle component analysis indicated that starch and sugar content significantly showed positive correlation with elevation, rainfall, soil nutrient content, C/N ratio and cation exchange capacity levels. The tubers produced from Cilembu had sweet taste, while those from Cimaung had normal taste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The study aimed to investigate whether Achromobacter mucicolens IA strain biofilm formation, which contributes to antibiotic resistance, could be enhanced by readily available nutrient sources like carbohydrates and environmental factors such as pH and NaCl. Additionally, the study aimed to identify any inherent genes that support biofilm formation in this strain, which is an opportunistic pathogen that affects immunocompromised patients and is resistant to many antibiotics. Materials and Methods: Biofilm growth in different carbohydrate, pH, and NaCl concentrated media was measured using crystal violet microtiter assay. All the treatments were subjected to biostatistics analysis for normality, Test of Homogeneity, one way ANOVA analysis. Whole-genome sequencing of our IA strain was conducted to identify various gene sequences. Results: Biofilm formation was measured at different carbohydrate concentrations, and the optimum biofilm formation was observed at 3M glucose and 0.5M NaCl, while the lowest results were seen at 2M maltose concentration. Whole-genome sequencing identified potential genes involved in biofilm formation, pathogenicity, protein metabolism, flagellar motility, cell wall component synthesis, and a multidrug efflux pump. Conclusion: These findings suggest that biofilm formation is influenced by extrinsic and intrinsic factors, which could aid in the development of effective treatments for resistant infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid (AA-2G) is a stable derivative of l-ascorbic acid (l-AA), which has been widely used in food and cosmetics industries. Sugar molecules, such as glucose and maltose produced by cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase) during AA-2G synthesis may compete with l-AA as the acceptors, resulting in low AA-2G yield. Multiple sequence alignment combined with structural simulation analysis indicated that residues at positions 191 and 255 of CGTase may be responsible for the difference in substrate specificity. To investigate the effect of these two residues on the acceptor preference and the AA-2G yield, five single mutants Bs F191Y, Bs F255Y, Bc Y195F, Pm Y195F and Pm Y260F of three CGTases from Bacillus stearothermophilus NO2 (Bs), Bacillus circulans 251 (Bc) and Paenibacillus macerans (Pm) were designed for AA-2G synthesis. Under optimal conditions, the AA-2G yields of the mutants Bs F191Y and Bs F255Y AA-2G were 34.3% and 7.9% lower than that of Bs CGTase, respectively. The AA-2G yields of mutant Bc Y195F, Pm Y195F and Pm Y260F were 45.8%, 36.9% and 12.6% higher than those of wild-type CGTases, respectively. Kinetic studies revealed that the residues at positions 191 and 255 of the three CGTases were F, which decreased glucose and maltose specificity and increased l-AA specificity. This study not only proposes for the first time that the AA-2G yield can be improved by weakening the acceptor specificity of CGTase toward sugar byproducts, but also provides new insight on the modification of CGTase that catalyze the double-substrate transglycosylation reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terahertz spectroscopy is a powerful tool for investigating the properties and states of biological matter. Here, a systematic investigation of the interaction of THz wave with "bright mode" resonators and "dark mode" resonators has been conducted, and a simple general principle of obtaining multiple resonant bands has been developed. By manipulating the number and positions of bright mode and dark mode resonant elements in metamaterials, we realized multi-resonant bands terahertz metamaterial structures with three electromagnetic-induced transparency in four-frequency bands. Different carbohydrates in the state of dried films were selected for detection, and the results showed that the multi-resonant bands metamaterial have high response sensitivity at the resonance frequency similar to the characteristic frequency of the biomolecule. Furthermore, by increasing the biomolecule mass in a specific frequency band, the frequency shift in glucose was found to be larger than that of maltose. The frequency shift in glucose in the fourth frequency band is larger than that of the second band, whereas maltose exhibits an opposing trend, thus enabling recognition of maltose and glucose. Our findings provide new insights into the design of functional multi-resonant bands metamaterials, as well as new strategies for developing multi-band metamaterial biosensing devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Tall fescue is an open pollinated cool season turf grass. Micropropagation and genetic transformation of monocot species have always experienced low genetic transformation efficiency. Therefore, evaluation of explant types and carbon source in media, likely through callus optimization would lead to the genetic transformation improvement which is the goal of this experiment. After surface sterilization of tall fescue seeds, different seed explants with or without embryo, have used to evaluate callus induction ability. Normal sugar, maltose and equal amount of sugar and maltose were also used as a different source of carbon in a completely randomized design with three replications. Finally, embryogenic calli, induced to produce shoots in MS media supplemented with 10 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.05 mg/L BA. The presence of embryo on explant is a necessity for callus induction. Explant without embryos which were cut differently failed to produce callus. The assessment of three carbon source during the course of multiplication under in vitro culture indicated that sucrose and maltose significantly improved total chlorophyll and carotenoid content in regenerated shoots while MS media with equal amount of both aforesaid carbon sources were not effective. The results gained in the present experiment indicated that embryo-contained cross section of seeds and using maltose was the best explant and the best carbon source for callus induction and shoot proliferation respectively.

Recently, the number of people suffering from allergy to caw’s milk has increased. Lupine, a plant rich in protein, can be a good alternative product for non-dairy products production. We aimed to obtain a yogurt-like product based on lupine milk and evaluate its properties. Lupine milk was obtained from lupine seeds, egg white protein powder, disaccharides, and starter cultures were added to the milk to obtain yogurt-like products: samples with maltose, samples with lactose, and samples without sugars. Physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of the products were determined by the standard techniques. Sensory attributes were evaluated by trained panelists. In the study, the effects of egg white protein powder and disaccharides on the activities of starter cultures and the properties of the yogurt-like products obtained were investigated. The relationship between the addition of sugar and the growth of starter cultures was found to be significant. In terms of physico-chemical, rheological, and microbiological properties, the yogurt-like products obtained from lupine milk with disaccharides demonstrated good results, especially the sample with maltose. Sensory analysis revealed high sensory properties of the yogurt-like products. Yogurt-like products from lupine milk can be used as an alternative to cow’s milk fermented products, but more detailed studies should be conducted on their formulations.

Infrared evanescent wave sensing based on chalcogenide fiber is an emerging technology for qualitative and quantitative analysis of most organic compounds. Here, a tapered fiber sensor made from Ge10As30Se40Te20 glass fiber was reported. The fundamental modes and intensity of evanescent waves in fibers with different diameters were simulated with COMSOL. The 30 mm length tapered fiber sensors with different waist diameters, 110, 63, and 31 μm, were fabricated for ethanol detection. The sensor with a waist diameter of 31 μm has the highest sensitivity of 0.73 a.u./% and a limit of detection (LoD) of 0.195 vol.% for ethanol. Finally, this sensor has been used to analyze alcohols, including Chinese baijiu (Chinese distilled spirits), red wine, Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine), Rio cocktail, and Tsingtao beer. It is shown that the ethanol concentration is consistent with the nominal alcoholicity. Moreover, other components such as CO2 and maltose can be detected in Tsingtao beer, demonstrating the feasibility of its application in detecting food additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking 116 honey samples as the research object, this study aims to rapidly detect the physicochemical properties of honey using infrared spectroscopy. The physicochemical properties of honey samples were determined, including the carbohydrate (fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, and lactose), moisture content, titration acidity, pH, electrical conductivity, viscosity, amylase value, HMF, proline, and color (L*a*b*). Principal component analysis (PCA) was implemented to explore the correlation among various physicochemical indexes of honey. Near Infrared spectrum (NIR) and mid-infrared spectrum (MIR) were used to obtain the three-dimensional information of "compound, aroma and taste" of honey samples. The Partial least squares (PLS) models were established using physicochemical indexes after NIR and MIR. Correlation coefficient (R ² ) and predictive root mean square error (RMSEP) were used to evaluate the quantitative accuracy of NIR and MIR indexes. The quantitative analysis of physicochemical properties was also implemented to compare the quality evaluation. Proline and amylase values were taken as the indicators, in order to clarify the effects of spectral technology fusion on the quantitative analysis at the level of information source (data) fusion. The results showed that there was a positive correlation between the color (L*a*b*), electrical conductivity, and pH, indicating the high mineral content with the deeper color and the higher conductivity value. A negative correlation between pH and titration acidity, namely the pH was low, while the titration acidity was high in honey. There was also a negative correlation between the water content and viscosity. The lower the water content of honey was, the higher the viscosity was. some indexes of honey were interrelated as well. The NIR and MIR models were established with the excellent ability of quantitative analysis for the fructose, glucose, reducing sugar, fructose/glucose, water content, viscosity, pH, and color (L*a*b*) (R 2 >0.9). The R 2 and SEP of the model were acceptable for the electrical conductivity, sucrose, maltose, and titration acidity, indicating better precision in the rapid quantitative analysis. There was a low quantitative accuracy of amylase value content, proline, and HMF. There was a low accuracy of the improved model for the amylase value, proline, and HMF after the rapid quantitative analysis. The indexed with the higher prediction accuracy of NIR were ranked as fructose(R ² =0.908), sucrose(R ² =0.906), water content(R 2 =0.975), electrical conductivity(R ² =0.935), viscosity(R 2 =0.949), and pH(R ² =0.947). The indexes with the higher accuracy of MIR prediction were the glucose(R 2 =0.813), maltose(R 2 =0.798), reducing sugar(R ² =0.711), fructose/glucose(R 2 =0.942), titration acidity(R 2 =0.890), amylase value(R 2 =0.641) and Color, L*a*b*. The Rc of the proline quantitative model increased from 0.614 to 0.825, whereas the RMSEP decreased from 54.95 to 49.57 after the fusion of NIR and MIR in the data layer. The quantitative model of amylase value was not optimized during this time. From the perspective of instruments, accessories, and spectral acquisition, the ATR accessories used for the MIR spectral acquisition were large and expensive, particularly only limited to laboratory use. The NIR can be expected for the practical application of rapid detection of honey quality under comprehensive conditions. Therefore, it is feasible for the NIR and MIR to rapidly quantify some physical and chemical indexes of honey. Data fusion can posed a positive impact on the prediction model in the implementation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]